My Grandmother Convinced Me to Collect This “Tacky” Decor, and It’s My Favorite Heirloom

When I was growing up, my grandmother’s house always felt like diving into a treasure chest of antiques and sentimental mementos. According to family lore, her parents loved to antique, and they left her some pretty incredible pieces of furniture — several of which even date back to 1700s England. But when I was a kid, it wasn’t the over-300-year-old kitchen table we sat around for dinner or the boxes my great-grandpa carved over a century ago that captivated my attention — it was my grandmother’s fridge covered in tacky travel magnets. 

In a world of so much dizzying uncertainty, I decided to stop worrying about curating a trendy, Instagrammable space last year. Instead, I’d focus on the details that bring me joy. One of the first things that came to mind was my grandma’s fridge (which still looks the same today) and how much I love her silly magnets from family trips to Maui, Napa, and the random truck stop we always gas up at when driving between Los Angeles and Sonoma on the way to visit her. 

At the time, I had a few magnets from previous trips to Palm Springs and one from a work trip I took to Catalina earlier that year. My husband and I were also leaving for our very belated honeymoon to Amsterdam and Dublin, and I knew I had to pick up a few magnets while we were in transit. Luckily, I found a sizable four-leaf clover at the airport and a cute wooden tulip at a local souvenir stall. 

Then my sister and I planned a trip to London and Edinburgh at the end of the year, and it was the perfect opportunity to add to my now-growing collection. I mixed these new pieces in with a few other magnets I already had — two Gilmore Girls references and several pug designs — and these all instantly boosted my mood. 

My kitchen is by no means as littered with magnets as my grandma’s (she’s been on this Earth for 97 years, after all!), but I can’t wait to add more with time. Our fridge is something I see and interact with every day, and staring back at these magnets (plus, any photos that they potentially hold up) reminds me of some of the best memories with loved ones. Plus, they’re a symbol of a life well-lived and well-traveled. Maybe one day my future child will look at them with the same wonder and awe, and catch my (apparently inherited) travel bug.

Take a cue from my grandmother throughout your own travels: Let this be a sign to collect more mementos and never take your decor too seriously!